Israelis Receive Travel Warning Ahead of Holidays

The National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Bureau issued a travel warning to Israelis for the upcoming spring holidays of Passover, Independence Day and Lag B’Omer.

In a statement it released on Wednesday, the Counter-Terrorism Bureau said that the holidays, especially Passover, “are liable to provide incentive for terrorists around the world to attack Israeli and Jewish targets abroad.”

The statement added, “Against the background of a series of terrorist attacks and attempted terrorist attacks since the beginning of the year, Iran and Hizbullah are stepping up their efforts to perpetrate additional attacks.”

The statement included a severe travel warning for Sinai and a heightened travel warning for Turkey. The statement also noted an “increased threat of attacks by Global Jihad in Africa, especially Nigeria, the Sahel countries, the Mahgreb area and the Horn of Africa.” Also mentioned as a possible target for terrorism on Lag B’Omer is Djerba in Tunisia, where thousands of Jews gather every year on Lag B’Omer at the El Ghriba synagogue, the oldest Jewish house of worship in Africa.

The warning comes just two days after the murder of four Jews in the shooting attack in the Otzar Hatorah school in Toulouse, France, and just one week after the Counter-Terrorism Bureau issued a warning to Israelis, asking them to refrain from visiting Turkey, which is also included again in the latest warning.

Two weeks ago, a Turkish media report said that Israel had warned Turkish authorities that Iran was organizing attacks on Israeli diplomats in that country.